Tag Archives: 2019

Four Night Residential Meditation Retreat in Hendersonville, NC

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heartwoodretreat

Difficult, anxious thoughts and emotions are often considered obstacles to meditation and peace of mind. A wiser view is available! Buddha’s path to liberation is designed to help us face the full experience of embodied human life. Through deep training we can learn how to be at peace with our overly energetic or painful body, our restless minds and hearts and even the most irritating and hard emotions. At this retreat we will learn how to bring acceptance, patience and love for ourselves into the process. We will learn how awareness can intervene, balancing reactivity, releasing identification and catastrophizing. Inner peace emerges (samadhi), so that meditative inquiry can help us learn from our inner lives, discover gems of wisdom and insight — and tenderness for the rest.

This retreat, held mostly in silence, will include periods of sitting and walking meditation, daily instructions, dharma talks, q&a and meetings with the teacher. All levels of experience are welcome. Registration and more info here.

Update – 2019 Buddhist Tour of India

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Please join me for an adventure of a lifetime to India. On this tour we will be visiting some of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites as well as many other points of interest. We will meditate under the Bodhi tree, a descendant of the very tree where Buddha was enlightened 2500 years ago.This was one of the highlights for me of the 2017 tour and an experience not to be missed while in India. Pilgrims from all over the world travel here and it is truly an amazing experience to be at ground zero for the awakening of Buddha and Buddhism.

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Resident Monk Meditating on the Rocks Overlooking the Himalayas, Sangha Choeling Monastery, Sikkim, est. 1701

We’ll also visit Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon. Sarnath is close to Varanasi, where the famous Aarti ceremony is held every night at sunset on the Ganges. This is another not to be missed highlight that can’t be fully captured in words. In addition, a tour of India wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Himalayas. This year, we’ll travel to Dharmsala, home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile. Finally, there’s an optional two day extension to visit Amritsar and the Golden Temple.

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Young Monks Studying at the Sangha Choeling Monastery, Sikkim

The tour is guided by expert local guides in India, and I will offer meditation and dharma discussions along the way in various locations, from hotel gardens to Tibetan monasteries.

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Enjoying the Sunrise Ceremony on the Ganges in Varanasi

It is a fun adventure and is open to everyone interested in Buddhism and meditation. (No experience required.)

For the full itinerary and cost, go here. If you are considering this tour and would like to talk to me directly, feel free to email ernst.lisa@gmail.com.

Spring Renewal Residential Meditation Retreat

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Thursday Evening, April 18 to Sunday Noon, April 21; Extended Option to April 25
Bethany Hills Retreat Center, Kingston Springs
Led by Lisa Ernst

Retreat Full, email onedharmaretreat@gmail.com to join the waitlist

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“Enlightenment is Intimacy With All Things” – Dogen

Each spring the earth awakens from its winter slumber as the days grow warmer and longer. Surrounded by newly leafed trees and rolling hills, we will renew our minds and hearts in the simple yet profound practice of sitting and walking meditation. Gradually this practice will lead us to intimacy with all of life as we touch the present moment with a kind and open heart.

This silent retreat will include sitting and walking meditation, instruction, dharma talks and private meetings with the teacher. Retreat cost is $295 if paid by March 21; $325 after. The seven night option is $595 if paid by March 21; $625 after. A $100 deposit holds your spot. Please indicate if you will be attending the three or seven night option. Fee covers lodging and all meals. There will be a separate opportunity at the retreat to make a *dana offering (donation) to the teacher. A scholarship spot is available if you need financial assistance. Paypal is available here. If paying by check, instructions are at this link. Please include your email address. Email onedharmaretreat@gmail.com if you wish to be added to the three night waitlist or for any other questions.

Lisa Ernst is a meditation teacher in the Thai Forest lineage of Ajahn Chah, Jack Kornfield and Trudy Goodman. She leads classes and retreats nationally and is a visiting teacher at Spirit Rock meditation Center in Woodacre, CA.

Cancellation Refund Policy:  More than four weeks from retreat start date – $30 cancellation fee; four weeks to 20 days from start date – $100 cancellation fee. No refunds are available for cancellations less than 20 days from retreat start date.

*Dana: According to the Buddha, generosity, or sharing what we have, is one of the central pillars of a spiritual life. In the act of giving we develop our ability to let go, cultivate a spirit of caring, and acknowledge the inter-connectedness that we all share.

2019 Buddhist Tour of India

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Buddhist Tour of India with Lisa Ernst
October 26 – November 9, 2019

Combining a meditation retreat with a Buddhist pilgrimage, this tour is an exploration of both ancient Buddhist history and living Buddhist traditions.

Our 2017 group in Bodhgaya

First we explore the ancient sites in the North and East of India, where the Buddha practiced and taught – including Bodhgaya, where it is believed he was enlightened under the bodhi tree. A descendant of this tree is still in the spot. We will have the opportunity to meditate under this tree. I did it in 2017 and it was a highlight of the tour for me. We’ll also visit Varanasi for sunset Aarti at the Ganges and a Sunrise boat ride. Then to Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon – before moving on to the mountains of Dharmsala to experience Buddhist life in the Himalayas. Dharmsala is the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile. There’s also an optional extension to visit Amritsar and the amazing Golden Temple. Full itinerary and details are here.

Sunset Aarti in Varanasi

The tour is guided by our expert local guides in India, with Lisa Ernst – founder of One Dharma Nashville and visiting teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre California – guiding meditation along the way in various locations, from hotel gardens to Tibetan monasteries.